Means for immobilizing the lungs or portions thereof



Aug. 10,1926. 1,595,739

5. H. STEWART MEANS FOR IMMOBILIZING THE LUNGS OR PORTIONS THEREOF Filed Dec, 2 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10, 1926. y 1,595,739

S. H. STEWART MEANS FOR IMMOBILIZING THE LUNGS OR PORTIONS THEREOF I F'i Led Dec. 1922 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ciated ribs and diaphragm.

' lung by pressure on the levers allows of Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,595,739 PATENT OFFICE. 7

SAMUEL HENRY STEWART, OF WHITEABBEY, IRELAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 SALT 8c SON LIMITED, 015 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR IMMOBILIZIN G THE LUNGS OR RORTION'S THEREOF.

Application filed December 20, 1922, Serial No. 607,938, and in Great Britain 'ZEebruary 20, 1922.

This invention has for .its object the immobilization of a portion, or the whole of a lung, or portions of the lungs, of a person, to prevent lung .or pleural movements and (or) to support the spinal column. In the case .of a tuberculous lung, for example, the diseased organ can be restrained in its action by restraining the functioning .of the asso- This has hitherto been attempted in an experimental way by means of adhesive strapping stretched on the side or portion of the body affected and according to my invention 1 make the process more convenient and effective by providing a mechanical structure designed to; allow of the required pressure being applied to restrain the part affected and to obtainthe pressure by means of parts of the structure bearing on the pelvic .bone while affecting as little as possible the activity of the parts not affected. In apparatus according to this invention the ribs and diaphragm that it is not desired to restrain are free,.the shoulder joints and hip joints are permitted to move freely and the whole body is free .to move from sideto side, and while the apparatus can move-with it the restraining pressure is maintained.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings where- Fig. 1 shows'a front view of'theapparatus arranged for the immobilizing .of the left chest wall at the left side of the body.

Fig. 2 is a side view side of ,the body.

Fig. 8 is a back view.

Fig. A is a side view showing the left side of the body.

Referring to the drawings The means constituting my body or lung splint consists of two supplementary levers 1 and 2, one at the front, and one at'the back of the body and supported on elbow levers 3, 3, connected to end portions 3 3 of a member which encircles the pelvic bone on the diseased side of the body. Between the member and the pelvic bone, a suitable pad 4 is provided which may have a leg fitment for maintaining it properly in position. The points of support at which the supplementary levers 1 and 2 are connected with the upper arms 3", 3 of the elbow turning movements of the showing the right supplementary levers and are located about the junction of the upper and middle third of the supplementary levers. The lower ends of these supplementary levers 1 and 2 have flexible adjustable connections 5, 5, to the elbow levers 3, 3. By this means any movement of the spine that would impair the efiiciency of the device is prevented. Suitable canvas or other belts 6 are attached to the supplementary levers and passed round the affected side of the body to be tightened against the side to the required degree and fastened by means of suitable buhkles, the effect being that the ribs are immobilized in the position of expiration to restrain expansion ofthe lung. The diaphragm is also restrained.

The upper part of the chest on the af fected side is held by straps 7 .passing'from the upper endof the posterior supplementary lever 2 over the shoulder and having attachments anteriorly to a horizontal bar 8 fixed to or forming an extension of the anterior supplementary lever 1. .In addition it may be possible, when desired, ,to conduct similar straps over and around the body in proximity to the upper part of the opposite lung and having a similar anterior attachment. A suitable .pad transmits pressure from these shoulder stra s to the apex or upper .part of the lung. yrthis means it is possible .to immobilize almost entirely the whole of one lung and to restrain, if necessary, the upper part of the other. The remaining portion of the second lung is found to be sufficient for functioning of the body during the process of healing of theaffected parts.

Thev means employed for holding the double supporting levers in position comprises a .pad 9 adapted to the pelvic bone on the opposite side of the body from the diseased lung. This pad 9 which may be constructed of any suitable material for comfort and efliciency, has a Y-shaped member of steel encased therein as shown in dotted lines at Figs. 1 and 2. To the upper legs of the Y-shaped member an anterior strap 10 and a posterior strap 11 are attached. These straps are connected to the supporting levers 3, 3, in front of, and behind, the body at points 12 and 13 respectively, and corresponding to the point where spinal movements, independent of the pelvis, may be regarded as ceasing. On the lower leg of the Y-shaped member a small pivoted lever 14 is arranged and from the outer ends of'this lever a padded strap 15 is conducted around the ischium. All. these straps are provided with suitable buckles and therefore allow of adjustment. The pad 9 can be fixed in position and yet, by 'virtue of the above mentioned pivoted lever 14f, free movement of the leg is possible. Connections 16 and 1.7 are provided between this pad 9 and the pad 4: at the opposite pelvic bone both anteriorly and posteriorly.

All rigid parts of this structure in contact with the body are padded and covered in the usual manner of surgical appliances;

"A feature in connection with the herein- Lao before described example of my invention is that the movements of the limbs are not impaired to any considerable degree. It also should be noted that no pressure is applied to the abdomen or other region likely to impair to any considerable degree movements of what may be regarded as the sound lung. Anotheradva ntage of this arrangement is that by compressing the ribs and the abdomen on the side of the afi'ected lung, diaphragmatic movement will be considerably reduced. i

Suitable modifications 'of the invention may be adopted to effect the mechanical immobilization of the lung or portion thereof and the foregoing are merely recited as examples of suitable apparatus.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isr 1. A mechanical apparatus for attachment to the human body to restrain ribs and lung and pleural movements on oneside of the body, comprising, in combination, levers at the back and front of thebody: means for mounting saidlevers so that they act through a fulcrum located about a pointwhich may be regarded as that where spinal movement independent of the pelvis ceases; flexible straps attached to the levers and adaptedto pass round the affected side of the body and non-rigid straps for producing the required restraining pressure acting mainly upon the pelvic bone and connected to the leversat said point whereby the upper part of the apparatus can move with the body about the pelvic bone on the diseased side of-thebody,

straps connected to the elbow levers at points corresponding to the pointwhere spinal movement independent of the pelvis ceases and connected also to a member located on the opposite pelvic bone, the arrangementbeing such as to leave free the ribs and diaphragm on the healthy side of the body.

3. A mechanical apparatus for attachment to the human body to restrain lung or pleural movements on one sideof the body,

comprising two supplementary levers one at the front and the other at, the back of the body, flexible straps attached to the said levers and embracing the affected side of the body, elbow levers fulcrumed to said supplementary levers at about the junctionof the upper and middle thirds of said supple mentary levers, a member connected to the lower ends of said elbow levers and encir cling the pelvic bone on the diseasedside of the body, flexible adjustable connections be tween said'elbow levers and the lower ends of said supplementary levers, adjustable straps connected to the elbow levers at points corresponding to the point where spinal movement independent of the pelvis ceases and connected also to a Y-shaped member embodied in a pad locatedon the'opposite pelvic bone, the arrangementbeing. such that the ribs and diaphragm on the healthy side of the body are left free and that the restraining force is exerted from the pelvic bone.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature.

SAMUEL HENRY STEWART. 

